Tempt Asian Cafe
6259 Little River Tpke, Alexandria, VA, 22312
Tempt Asian Cafe Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Alexandria for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alexandria for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alexandria for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
6259 Little River Tpke
Alexandria, VA, 22312 - Phone (703) 750-6801
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Hannah H.
Wow! I was so pleasantly surprised and happy with this place! As most know, I'm not much of a fan of Chinese cuisine - the poor hubsters always has a craving for it, but I always deny him AHAHAHA We've always received the menu and coupons from Tempt Asian Cafe, but never had a chance to check it out. Well, finally, we decided to give it a try for dinner (and, surprisingly, my idea!). The menu is quite extensive; they offer appetizers (spring rolls, fried wontons, crab rangoon, chicken wings, shrimp toast, etc.), fried rice, pork/beef/chicken/seafood entrees; soups; rice noodle dishes; vegetarian options; lo mein; and, the house specials. We tried their Fried Wontons (freshly fried, thin wonton 'pinched baskets,' filled with just the right amount of crab and cream cheese filling - it was served with fresh hot sweet & sour sauce, which complemented it quite well!), Hot and Sour Soup (not usually a fan, but Tempt's version of the soup was definitely delicious and tasty! The broth was more concentrated, but it had a pleasant taste to it, considering it's supposed to be sour! It was piping hot and definitely warmed you up!), Kung Pao Chicken - Szechuan Style (slightly spicy, there were lovely chunks of white meat, peanuts, celery, and carrots), General Tso's Chicken (large battered chicken in a light syrupy sauce - tasted more like Orange Chicken), Chicken Lo Mein (perfectly stir-fried noodles with just the right amount of vegetables and fresh chicken bits; I really enjoyed this dish!), and Dan Dan Noodles (a simple dish with noodles and ground pork in a very spicy spicy SPICY chili oil-based sauce; I can't really handle spice, but I kept on eating this because it was pretty good!). Everything tasted fresh, even on the 'healthier' side, and each dish had their own respective flavors - I loved how the sauces weren't congealed or coagulated, which is probably one of the reasons why I usually stay away. You can also order online and check out their 'specials' on their website (free spring rolls, fried rice, fried wontons, or General Tso's with a minimum order). The staff, Mr. Evan and Ms. Zhi, were both oh-so-sweet, friendly, and welcoming. The restaurant itself is clean, and there's plenty of spaces to dine-in. The combination of good food and great service will definitely have me go back again - I'd love to try out their Mapo Tofu, fish entrees, as well as other Szechuan delicacies :D +Fried Wontons (so crispy and so good!); served with hot sweet & sour sauce :D +Hot and Sour Soup (hearty and warms you up!) +Chicken Lo Mein (yummy!) +Dan Dan Noodles (SPICY! Don't forget to mix it all up!) +Kung Pao Chicken - Szechuan Style +ask for Ms. Zhi and Mr. Evan :D +located next to Mama's Chicken, in the same plaza of Grand Mart
(5)Maryann R.
It was good, better to go than not go. We got takeout (interior of dining room needs am interior decorator, matter of fact). Portions are generous- plenty of leftovers. I really liked the chili boiled fish. It was awesome. The dandan noodles were good, just a bit greasy. We also got the fried fish and while the batter was nice and light, it was a bit too salty. Those 3 items cost $34, which doesn't seem bad given fish. Service was fine - they got the order right (hooray). Overall the food was tasty and I would try it again!
(3)Jean S.
Tempt Asian Cafe was my husband's go-to restaurant for a spicy, authentic Szechuan lunch when he was working in Annandale a few years ago. I finally decided to give it a go with my best friend, as she had a cold and was in need of a spicy, comforting meal. I noticed a "New Management" sign outside, which made me a bit wary, as my husband had raved about this place under the old management. Going in on a Monday night, the restaurant was empty. This didn't deter us, as it was on the late side. We both dutifully showed our Yelp check-ins and was each rewarded with a delicious cup of spicy hot and sour soup. We ordered the wontons in chili oil, and it was quite disappointing. The chili oil was diluted in broth, so it was neither spicy nor flavorful. We ordered the Szechuan mapo tofu (not found on the menu but the waitress smiled and said "of course" when I asked for it) and the fish filet with eggplant in garlic sauce. With the entrees, the restaurant redeemed itself - although the garlic sauce was on the sweet side, the eggplant was cooked perfectly and the breaded fish was good. The mapo tofu also had a sweet kick but had enough peppercorn and black pepper flavor to give it the spice we were seeking. As nice as it was to be served complimentary Jasmine tea, it was tepid and had no flavor. I'm not sure if it's up to par with the old management style (my husband would have to be the judge), but it still doesn't hold a candle to China Star for true Szechuan cuisine right down the street. I'd come back for the lunch specials if I were in the area, as they are a good deal.
(3)Sheila D.
Don't let the casual decor fool you - this place actually serves some killer Szechuan cuisine. Sure, the tables and plates look a little shabby at first glance, but that doesn't detract from the awesome, and very authentic food! The menu is huge. If you're in the mood for the more authentic Chinese dishes, pay attention to the first few pages of the menu - towards the end are the more Americanized dishes. If you love spicy food like I do, this place definitely satisfies. I highly recommend the boiled fish with tofu, which is super spicy and tongue-numbingly good. Definitely downed two glasses of water going through that dish. Compared to other similar restaurants, this fish dish was pretty cheap too ($13 vs $18+ in most other Szechuan restaurants). The dan dan noodles are pretty popular too, and although they're not the best dan dan noodles I've ever had, they're definitely worth the price (only around $5!) Servers are very nice and accommodating to any dietary restrictions since everything is made to order. Free tea as well :) Definitely give this place a try if you pass by the area!
(4)Mia K.
Sorry to say I will no longer be ordering from this place. I ordered beef and broccoli and the beef was still pink, it looked all mushy like if I was to leave it out it would turn into a gelatinous consistency. I had good things to say before but maybe I just caught them on a good day I don't know but all it takes is one time for me when it comes to food places.
(1)Kaitlin E.
I tried this place for the first time and I will not be ordering from them again. I placed an order over the phone, that went ok. I wasn't told the estimated delivery time but they were at my place within 20 minutes so that was nice. As the food deliverer is standing in my doorway I find out that she wants paid in cash. I didn't have cash so I offered her check. She didn't accepts checks so we had to call the restaurant to do a credit card transaction over the phone. The person on the other line wanted the numbers read off in Chinese. Since I do not know Chinese the phone had to be passed on to the delivery person. Then, the delivery person kept making hand gestures on the back of the hand written receipt. I wasn't following what was happening anyone's until she finally said "sign". I didn't argue with her that she didn't need my signature randomly scribbled on the back of a piece of paper. I ordered general tso chicken, Dan Dan noodles, and won ton soup. I've never had Dan Dan noodles before so I have nothing to compare them to. I didn't care for them. I like the noodles but the pork, seasoning, and oil on top were not pleasant. It was very oily. The General tso chicken looked fresh and were in very large pieces so I was impressed with the appearance. Sadly, I was not impressed with the quality. The chicken had a very odd texture, stringy when bitten into. I ended up throwing most of it away. I ate all of the won ton soup but it is the worst I've ever had. The noodles were so soft they were almost falling apart. There was barely any meat inside (granted, they were tiny wontons), and the broth was very clear and diluted.
(2)Reuben K.
Their food is amazing, no doubt about it. One of the best places for authentic Chinese food in the area, hands down, and I've been coming here for years. Love their beef rolls, their fish is tasty and meat is flavorful and tender. So, why one star? I went with my friend last week to get some food, and when the guy brought out the General Tso's Duck, A ROACH WALKED OUT OF THE SAUCE AND ONTO THE TABLE. Their food is amazing, but I have a zero tolerance policy with bugs in my food. I do not put up with six legged critters sampling my food before I do.
(1)Eric B.
The most authentic Chinese around. If you want spicy, they will light you up. Szechuan chili chicken is my all time favorite spicy go to, then there's the boiled fish, it's all amazing. See the tips and trust me.
(5)Mallory C.
I tried to order from Tempt Asian Cafe using their online ordering. After 90 minutes it had not arrived so I called and was told the delivery driver was on his way. 30 minutes later, still no food. Called again, asked to cancel the order and get refunded since we had paid online. The lady tried to offer me a "discount". I wasn't interested at this point, so I declined and said no. Five minutes later the restaurant calls back and the lady on the other end of the phone was hostile and yelling, saying her delivery driver didn't know of any order. I'd love to give them some stars based on their food...but, ya know, I never got it.
(1)Rebecca M.
Came back just tonight and once again---the food (if you're looking for Szechuan, Sichuan, etc.) was spot on. And as someone who always is looking out for a good bargain: this place is a steal! I got the dan dan noodles, boiled spicy fish, and mapo tofu. Again, everything was wonderfully seasoned with tsien tsin pepper and the spicy, woodsy, mala. The bill? $29.55 Caveat: the ambience of this place is a little depressing. There are rarely very many people dining in and the poor woman behind the register always seems to be working: in silence! That being said: Tempt Asian stacks up well against HKP and Sichuan Pavillion. Now, if only they would deliver to Old Town...
(5)Jey J.
What I will say about this place is that what it lacks in decor, it makes up for it in taste! I always ask the chef for his recommendations on what I should try next because I get tired of all the regular dishes that everyone gets. Everything is so flavorful and perfectly seasoned. I have only dined in so I cant say anything about their delivery.
(5)Monk E. R.
This place is awesome! They put pork in their Ma Po Tofu, unlike every other cheap-o Americanized Chinese carryouts that leave it out. Ma Po without pork is just spicy tofu, but whatever. They also do a great beef chow foon which nobody seems to carry anymore.
(4)Jing T.
The woman who did delivery is terrible!!! Shouting in office area, no politeness!! and Staring at you to write more tips!!!!!!
(1)Hannah C.
Very nice proprietors. Decent food. Good price.
(3)Dan B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE: They put ground Pork in all their vegetable dishes. My wife, 25-years a vegetarian, specifically asked about their Ma Po Tofu (on their "vegetable" menu section) being vegetarian, and they said yes. After she'd eaten some, I noticed what looked like ground chicken, we called and asked and THEY TOLD US THEY PUT PORK IN ALL THEIR VEGETABLE DISHES. That's not on their menu anywhere, and very disturbing.
(1)Daniel H.
I have now ordered via the internet and called ahead to dine in. The food quality is hit or miss but I did enjoy the beef lomein and egg rolls that I had while dining in. I was no impress however with there general tso's. I think that the ability to order online is key because there should be no errors and getting the food that you order. The service while dining in was good and the restaurant was cozy but comfortable. I love the name Tempt Asian but ill have to go with 3.5 stars.
(3)Jenn H.
I came here a few times, years ago...and for some reason, haven't really been back much. My bf and I were working late, and decided to head to annandale to grab dinner (since not much else is open)...and as we exited on Little River Turnpike and began to contemplate the possible choices, my bf suggested Tempt Asian. I'm glad we stopped in, after so long away--food was great (though be careful what you order). We got the "water-boiled fish" (which if you've ever had, you'll know is CRAZY spicy), some fresh sauteed veggies, and the spicy beef and tripe appetizer. Everything was great (though I'll admit I like Han Dynasty in Philly better). In any event, it was a pleasant surprise, after a long time of not visiting.
(4)Omar A.
I really wanted to like this place based on the reviews but it just didn't do it for me. Delivery was fast but the sesame and general tso's chichen was just super bland. The Kung pao chicken actually had taste since the chicken pieces weren't as massive as tennis balls, but even the broccoli beef was tasteless. Disappointed
(2)Ben B.
I love this place! After living in the area for a little over a year, I have come to find that this is the best place to get great Asian food at a fair price. Their menu has all the classic Chinese takeout choices, but they also have an amazing selection of dishes that you may have never tried before! I would recommend starting with these, you won't be disappointed. **If you're placing your order online, I'd call to make sure they got it.**
(5)Crystal-Nicole B.
I tried this place for the first time last week and was completely satisfied with my order. The food was good and the service was great as well. I'm sure I'll be back and would definitely recommend this place to friends in need of a quick Chinese food fix.
(5)Kimberly K.
My family loves this place. Whenever I'm back home, this is one restaurant they enjoy bringing me to. Over the years, it's been a treat trying all the different dishes they serve up here. Tempt Asian specializes in authentic Szechuan cuisine. They also serve other dishes that aren't as spicy. Two of my favorite dishes found under the dim sum section of the menu are the Scallion Pancake and Spicy Beef Rolls. The beef in their Spicy Beef Rolls dish has a nice kick, so if that's what you like, definitely give this dish a try. Their Young Chow Fried Rice is also tasty and prepared well. On this particular occasion, the General Tso's Chicken dish had way too much corn starch in it. Please ease up on that Tempt Asian Cafe. The chicken was crispy on the outside and tender inside. If you plan on coming here during the weekend, you may want to go early. Loads of tourists from China gather here to grub as well :)
(4)Meeja R.
Food is great. As I was waiting to pick up my order from the front desk, I hear the microwave go off. Immediately the owner goes in through the curtains, packs & bring my stuff. Doesn't look me in the eye. Hands me the food with usual smile on his face. I am not that great at the guessing game. Can it be the chicken itself or the fried rice ?
(4)Biso S.
I hate to give chinese restaurants bad reviews since I like chinese food, but this place is asking for one. My last order was a mess. They delivered my order after 1 hour and 45 min. And when I asked them to cancel my order, they charged my credit card twice. Then I had to go through the headache of refunding my money for two days. So many phone calls and they kept making the same mistake over and over again. I like the food, but this place can use some customer service training. Last but not least, don't dine in. The environment is kinda tacky, and the place is not clean.
(1)Mo M.
My first time eating here and it was a great experience. We ordered delivery and they were very honest about how long the delivery time would be, which we didnt mind because it was a Friday night. We ordered the Chilli Chicken, Beef/Scallops, and General Tso chicken and it was really good food. The next time I'll try to dine and try some of their other dishes.
(5)Jen S.
Review for take out: There was nothing tempting about our meal. I came here to order a couple dishes on Xmas. Apparently there was only person serving food and taking orders. Had I known this in advance I would have taken my business elsewhere but she said that it would take only 15 minutes. I could wait 15 minutes, however 15 minutes extended into 30 minutes while the other tables who had come after me got their food. Unfortunately the food was pretty gross, way over salted (chicken with black bean sauce and eggplant with garlic sauce) with a thick layer of grease. We ate or picked at it, however we had a lot of leftovers which will unfortunately, be going to the trash.
(1)Lily Z.
With the recent decline of HKP, I am starting to like this place even more now. Its close to where I live and its not crowded like HKP. The two women who work at the front desk are sincerely concerned with your likes and dislikes, especially if you are a none Chinese who is into the authentic Sichuan food genre. They like to chit chat with the customers and it feels very much like eating as a guest at someone's house. Unlike most Chinese restaurant, your water glass will not sit there empty. Skip the Americanized junk and go straight for the specials on the wall and the first 4 pages of the menu. Emphasize to the servers that you are not a whimp and you want the real thing.
(4)David A.
Tempt Asia is the real deal for authentic spicy schezuan cooking. We think the restaurant is one the top two to three Chinese restaurants in DC and reminds us of the food we've eaten in China and Hong Kong. The place is small and family run, so the service isn't elaborate or fancy, but it's the food we go for. And, yes, we've had to convince them that spicy is ok, needed, wanted even though one of us is Asian. That has provided us some amusement. We have had wonderful group dinners with friends here. There is one gal who takes the very best care of us and our little guy, so it's a true treat to eat real Chinese food at this restaurant.
(5)Jennifer G.
After 4+ hours of driving home to Alexandria I wanted two things: a gin and tonic and dinner! R was starving too and we're still in the process of testing out places that deliver to us so we resumed our weekly ritual of scouring over the stack of menus that have been left on our door step trying to decide what to have. We seem to be on an Asian kick lately and struck gold a couple of weeks ago with a nearby Chinese restaurant that brought a delicious meal to our door and while trying to find the listing to Yelp about it (it's not there yet, but I'll get it up there) I came across a listing for Tempt Asian. Lot of folks were saying good things about this place so it was an easy winner for the evening, I mean it fhe chef has cooked for the Chinese Ambassador- it must be good! I love beef fried rice. I know it's not adventurous but I love it and it's sort of my barometer for whether to stick with a place and investigate further or just move on. If the restaurant can manage to mess up beef fried rice, I don't want to know what they could do to a more complicated dish. Plus if the place is willing to take the time to make a run of the mill Chinese food staple into something good and a little different from the others, sign me up! I really had a feeling from the reviews that I read that Tempt Asian would be delivering something special to us. So I ordered beef fried rice and crab rangoons (also barometers for me, but mostly guilty pleasure- R doesn't like them so I get all 6 to myself!!!). R got vegetable fried rice and a chicken stir fry of some sort, I can't remember what it was called. The woman who took my order was kind enough to offer us some free soup with our order- so I asked for the Hot and Sour since I had never tried it (R can't be bothered with soups- so this would be all mine as well!!!). Dinner arrived in good time and was sufficiently warm. The size of the fried rice containers was ridiculous! They were both huge. The two of us could have been sustained by one of them for a couple of days. I filled a bowl with some of my rice and grabbed my baggie of rangoons and I began my feast. First I tried the rice. It was okay. I tried bites both with and without beef and it tasted exactly the same both ways! That was a bummer. I love it when the beef is a bit crispy and has a little bit of flavor to it (as if it had been marinated). I know well enough that rice with peas, onions and carrots can only hold so much taste, so it has to be the beef that adds the flavor. This didn't happen and I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't terrible fried rice though, it was just a bit bland. Next up was the rangoons- and they were good! I personally prefer my rangoons folded into a triangle rather than in the fashion these were, which is like the way shumai is pinched into a little packet. Since the wrapper gets hard when it's fried it's a bit awkward to eat them when they're made this way. But with rangoons, the most important part is the filling, and this stuff was good! I've noticed a trend lately with the Rangoon filling being very sweet- almost like it's a dessert, and I'm not a fan of this trend! Tempt Asian's rangoon's were not overly sweet, and the crab (although imitation) was good. R basically had the same feelings with his food. The chicken stir fry and vegetable rice were on the bland side in his opinion. Oh- I almost forgot to review the Hot and Sour soup. I don't think I should. As mentioned, this was my first foray into the world of Hot and Sour soup. It was actually really weird. I opened the container and hovered above the kitchen sink because I'm a mess when I eat soup- it gets all over the place. I smelled the soup and got the "sour" part. I poked around with my spoon expecting some chili peppers for the "hot" part, but didn't find any. Seriously, what the hell is this stuff made out of?? It was mostly unidentifiable to me, but that's not enough to dissuade me from trying it. So I slurped some up. I honestly didn't know how I felt about it. I didn't hate it though so I had some more and it wasn't growing on me so the rest went down the drain. I think I'd like to try Hot and Sour soup again at another establishment to see I can better determine my feelings on it. So, the bottom line with Tempt Asian? I'd like to do it again. I've read that they have two menus- one American and one Sichuan. I think the Sichuan one might be where we find the winners. My only other complaint is the price. I wish they offered smaller containers of the fried rice. The huge buckets we got of it were about $8, and that's not bad for the amount you get but I don't think rice reheats well, and most of it was thrown away.
(3)Parthena K.
So, I'm sad I have to change my review because I had really grown attached to this place, but I feel that based on my two most recent ordering experiences here I had to downgrade my rating. I have been ordering the same dish here for several months and it quickly became a favorite. When I opened the bag after my most recent order (after the delivery guy left of course) it was a very different-looking entree than what I normally get. I called the restaurant and told them I had gotten the wrong entree. He said, "No we gave you the right dish, but we have two different cooks and one of the cooks makes that specific dish differently than the other cook." "Um, I liked it the other way," I said, "that's what I assumed it was going to be like when I ordered it since it's always been that way." So he told me if they have to "re-make it", it would be another 30 minutes for the driver to come back. I find it extremely bizarre that a dish can be so significantly altered based on having a different cook make it, DEPENDING on who happens to be cooking it. So, does this mean that if I order from them again, I'd have to specify on the phone, "please make this dish the way you used to make it, rather than the new way that isn't nearly as good? Who is cooking tonight?" The last time I ordered it took them 1.5 hours to arrive. I do understand being busy some nights, but that amount of time seemed excessive. Probably won't order from here again. Too bad because when they get it right, they really get it right!
(2)Ken C.
Don't let the outside fool you. This is one of the few place that I think the chef know how to cook sichuan disk. The smell and texture looked great. If you are looking for foods in the area. Give this a try.
(3)Jennifer M.
Honestly one of the best szechuan places in the DC metro area that i've tried. Tempt Asian (gotta love the name) is on the small side, but don't let that deter you, it's really good family-style food! It's the little building in the parking lot of GrandMart across from Heebeen. If you're a newbie to Szechuan cuisine, know that it's going to be both spicy and tongue-numbing (quite literally) because of the spices used in Szechuan-region cooking. I recommend the Szechuan Beef or Fish. It's a typical dish that looks like a big pot of spicy beef/fish stew with veggies. I warn you however to pick out and not eat the little black/brown peppercorn looking bulbs. Those are Sichuan Peppercorns and will make your tongue numb. Also, the Chili Chicken is one of our favorites. It's cubes of fried chicken and red peppers. Really good flavor and texture here. Eat everything with a big bowl of white rice and enjoy! They're really nice and will help recommend to you one of the more authentic dishes (because of course they do offer the americanized chinese foods)
(5)Bob W.
Something has changed at Tempt Asian, unless we just hit a very bad day. I've gone 4 or 5 times in the past and would have then given it 4 or 5 stars. I have to drive 8 miles to get to Tempt Asian and it has been worth it. Until now. One dish was a decent memory of what was available before, but 3 others were not well prepared. The wait staff was fine, friendly and efficient, thus the second star. I have high hopes that this place will recover to be what it was even recently: a decent, interesting Szechuan place left a sense of "this is the real thing."
(2)Cameron B.
I'm torn my fellow Yelpers...this place....off the beaten track (unless you live by it) and nestled in the Fertile Crescent of the best ethnic food restaurants in the greater D.C. area....this place....should I talk about it.....should I let the world know..........this place...IS AMAZING!!! You'd probably drive right past it on your way to the giant Chinese grocery store to get your amazing produce for half the price of Whole Foods (and none of the faux guilt)...but if you were observant you'd notice a tour bus filled with Chinese men and women streaming into this hole in the wall. The decor would imply this place was your typical greasy corner Chinese place...the prices would reinforce that idea....but again....this place.... My local Alexandarian found this place since it's close to her house. They know her there, and she's probably the only white women regular. She encouraged me to try the pork and tofu stir-fry while she got a broiled fish in sour soup......this place........!! Szechuan style is typified by the use of chilies in oil, salty but kept light.......amazing! The food came out fast, it was not overly oily, and had none of the tall tailed signs of cheap corner Chinese food place (MSG, cheap meat, overly cooked and wilted veggies)! In the background, large boiling caldrons sat at tables with people sharing family style. I heard the soups are spectacular.....this place......sooo good! The fish stew had a sour salt zing that was shocking and delightful. I can't wait to get back to this place. I hope this review doesn't make them arrogant.....this place........
(4)Drury S.
Tasty unique spicy Chinese dishes. This ia not your typical Chinese joint where you find variety of dishes same seasoning or sauces! Don't be turn off by the ambiance though. It is really hole in the wall.
(4)Crystal C.
Friendly staff, easy to find and park. Food is fresh, I like the Kongpao shrimp. Will come again.
(5)Gary L.
After many litterings of their menu outside my door, decided last night to order (lazy gene kicked in). Went simple: the spring rolls were ok. The steamed dumplings outsides were inconsistent and a mess, the dipping sauce dumped into the container but all that said the fact was it was easily some of the best flavorful dumpling filling I have ever had, anywhere. Getting over the first parts, will definitely order again. As for the rest, the pork fried rice was right down the middle. If ever hungry and in need of a tasty dumpling ... go for it.
(3)Wilbert O.
We chose this place for dinner, because it was near to our badminton club and it was the only choice for Chinese restaurant. We ordered some fish fillet, beef pancake, tofu hot pot and pork. The food was acceptable, as I didn"t build up my expectations here. The waitresses could perfect Chinese, which was a nice surprise. The service was good compared to other Chinese restuarant.
(3)Koichi E.
Three of us who are all Asians went to have lunch with high hopes and we were not impressed. We ordered Beef Tendons (which says Beef Tender on the menu) and that was pretty good. The Mixed Flavor Chicken was just that, it is unremarkable and really...bizarre. I could swear they used a peanut sauce which vaguely resembles a Thai sauce but it was flavorless and didn't taste very good. The Spicy Fish was just above average and the sauce is not as hearty and robust as the one at Hong Kong Palace which meant that it was a bit runny and when you pour the sauce over the rice, it made a huge mush. Taste was fine though. Now this was the most huge disappointment of all but we had the Tong Po Roast Pork with Pine Nuts. The finely cooked pieces of delectable pork was covered by a mysterious sauce that wasn't quite hot and sour, five spices, ketchup maybe or I don't know what it was but it ruined the dish. The meat was cooked very nicely, delicate, moist and juicy but the mystery sauce completely wrecked the dish. The Chinese Broccoli was fair to good with plenty of garlic and good flavors. The Cardinal rule for any Oriental restaraunt is to make certain you have good rice and Tempt Asian Cafe failed miserably in this area. This reminds me of the stuff that I left in my rice pot for three days because I forgot it's there and it was dry, clumpy and generally disgusting. I can only use this for kind of rice for leftover fried rice or something. Not cool. Maybe they were having a bad day but you only have one chance to make a first impression and this was not the impression that I wanted to have of this restaraunt.
(2)E L.
Chicken Lo-Mein - 3 stars Dan Dan Noodles - 4 stars Service - 3 stars
(3)Andrea H.
Best Chinese I've had since I moved to Alexandria. The delivery is FAST during the week and sometimes even on the weekend. We do live about 5 minutes away but we sometimes get our food in about 20-30 minutes. Be forewarned. Not EVERYTHING on the menu is great and not everything on the menu in the restaurant is on the delivery menu too.
(4)Jess C.
Great food, great service, great prices. Wasn't disappointed. Definitely recommend to those who are looking for some authentic Sichuan food. Spicy!! But if you don't want spicy dishes, you can also request that. I liked the beef wrap, the flounder & tofu, and tripe the best! :) You know it's authentic when tourist groups from China gather here to eat!
(4)DJ S.
Not to long ago, I had the opportunity to try this place out for the first time. I can honestly say that this place is fantastic. The portions of food are enough to fill you up beyond belief. Not only did I have enough leftover, but I had to call someone to roll me over to my couch .. I couldn't move. Ordered the Szechuan Chicken, Pork Fried Rice, Egg rolls, Vegetables ... Perfect amount of spicy! If spicy is not your thing, their menu has more than enough to accommodate your tastes. Very reasonably priced and they do provide delivery (within a 3 mile radius) and do so quickly. Very happy with their food / service, definitely worth the try.
(4)Janelle C.
scores points for a) relatively fast delivery and b) not making us sick. However, this is the BLANDEST food. I even tried putting soy sauce on it to try to give it flavor and it didn't work. So disappointing. I didn't order Szechuan so maybe it's only good for that?
(2)Luis M.
My only 5 Star review so far. This place has a different menu, a Chinese menu. If you go there often enough, you'll notice that they bring buses of Chinese tourist, seeking some home (Szechuan) flavor cooking. You can change your order from typical ordinary Chinese carry-out, by simply requesting your dish to come from the Chinese menu/"style". Be warned! this is authentic (or as close as you can get) Szechuan cooking...it's going to be HOT! or just right...depending on your spice-o-meter. The Chili Chicken is an all time favorite and a must have when I come here. The roasted fish (fried fish flavored with chili, cumin and cilantro is another. If your heat tolerance level is up to par, you must try the beef in spicy sauce with cabbage (this was my original #1), I have been getting it with fish as of recent. I always have room for the Dan Dan Noodles. That being said, go with a group...and order different things, the portions are very good. This place is by far the best in this area when it comes to original Szechuan cooking.
(5)Robert H.
We ordered delivery from this place. We waited over an hour before we decided to call, after which we discovered that they had never received our order. They also informed me that they were out of the Peking Duck, the main item we ordered in the first place. All they did at that point was tell me to call the delivery service number to get a refund. This sort of thing ruins an evening. I called them a multiple times in the hope that maybe I could speak to the owner about what happened. I was never rude when speaking on the phone, but last time I tried to contact them, the person I spoke to just said. "Sorry" and hung up on me. I frequently order Chinese takeout for myself as well as for groups, but I will be taking my business elsewhere.
(1)Karthik E.
Tempt Asian is easily one of the best Chinese restaurants I have been to in USA. Their food is just amazing and the service is very good as well. I have rarely seen the restaurant not busy, it is always packed with chinese tourists and locals. The food is spicy and authentic. They are only a few restaurants who use huachao or szechuan peppercorn. It happens to be my favorite spice, not even restaurants in China town use it. I recommend a few of their dishes if you are a spicy food lover like me. 1. Boiled fish/chicken 2. Dan dan noodles 3. Hot spicy chicken with peppercorn 4. Vegetable clear soup 5. Chicken noodle soup spicy 6. Szechuan fish 7. Roasted Fish with cilantro and cumin They give free chicken fried rice on orders over 15, thats very good. I recommend Tempt Asian for all authentic Chinese and spicy food lovers.
(5)Char C.
I've ordered from this place a few times, and I've always placed the same order. It's always been hit or miss, mostly miss. It's difficult to communicate with the staff, ESPECIALLY over the phone. The customer service is DEFINITELY lacking. I've been sent the wrong order and REFUSED any type of refund. Also, it takes FOREVER to get food delivered. It's not like the food is freshly made for each order, and I'm a mile away. maybe less. Try Hunan Kitchen in Annandale. It's close by and much better all around.
(1)Jim W.
Once again, a fabulous meal. Hubby had the Lion's head (Chinese meatballs) and said it was good. I had the flounder with tofu in a very spicy sauce. Yummy. We also had string beans BUT it was too spicy for hubby. I'll have to be careful when I order in Chinese.
(5)Jake W.
my lady friend and i ended up here for lunch last sunday after we discovered that A&J (the place we originally wanted to go to) was overflowing with customers and only accepted cash. seeing as she had previously had a bad experience at A&J and didnt want to go through the hassle, we said eph that and decided to look elsewhere. i think it turned out for the better. tempt was fairly empty at 230 on a sunday afternoon. i believe that there were only 2 or 3 other tables there besides us. one was a large group of maybe 8 professional looking older asian folks sitting at a big circular table. some wearing suits, they seemed to be enjoying the masses of food they were seated around. And having a good ole time. at another table sat a middle aged couple, or at least i think they were a couple. i dont really know. in fact, my lady and i took a great interest in their conversation. they were speaking so loud it was hard to not hear them anywhere in the relatively small restaurant. we wondered whether they were on a first date, or having an affair, or what? she described their chemistry as best friends that knew nothing about each other, or hadnt seen or heard from each other in decades. anyways we spent a good portion of our time cracking wise about them and their somewhat pretentious/odd conversation. movies and pantyhose were two of the conversation pieces that I remember best. good times. back to the restaurant, it was good. my lady ordered the wontons in chili oil and the dan dan noodles and i got the short rib hot pot. ironically my favorite was the wontons and hers was the hotpot. the dan dan noodles had good flavor but made our mouths numb when we ate them. apparently this is due to a chemical (hydroxy-alpha sanshool, thank you wikipedia) that is found in sichuan peppers, an ingredient in dan dan noodles. but neither of us had experienced anything this strong before. it was a little weird and neither of us cared to much for it. the proportions were remarkably large for the price. when the wontons and noodles came out i started getting a little nervous because just those were easily enough food for the both of us and we still had hotpot coming. The hotpot, wasnt massive, but it was large and there was a surprisingly large amount of ribs in it. each of the dim sum dishes was only about 5 dollars and i think the hotpot was around 12. a couple other things of note, the old lady who was our waitress was super nice even though she was a bit difficult to understand. and the bathroom, while it wasnt spectacular, i did appreciate that there was a bottle of cleaning spray in there so i could give the toilet a wipe down before i used it. i dont know, im weird. I recommend this place, the food and service were both good and it seems to be one of the few places in the area to get dim sum.
(4)Terri C.
This is not the restaurant that it used to be. I ordered delivery and it was awful, dry, salty and greasy. Find another place for Chinese-authentic or Americanized.The rice in the fried rice was old and obviously warmed over. The spare ribs were rubbery, tasteless and fatty. I should have called the restaurant, but it simply wasn't worth the time. Yuck! Never again.
(1)A R.
Some of the poor reviews may be from people who don't know what real Chinese food is supposed to taste like. Or, maybe Tempt Asian doesn't do the standard "Chinese/American" glop well. I don't know because my wife and I were eating real Sichuan dishes done right. Also very reasonably priced. We ate in the restaurant and had Kungpao Chicken and Eggplant with Garlic Sauce. We told the waiter (in Chinese) that we liked it hot and we wanted authentic Sichuan "hot and numbing" flavor. Also tried an appetizer that I had never had before... some kind of beef wrapped in flat bread, also very spicy and delicious. It was more than we could finish. Our doggy bags included some of each dish and our bill was only $22.50! We will be returning to Tempt Asian.
(5)John R.
Tempt Asian is why I love mobile yelp so much. Wandering, with no real direction other than to find dinner, the thought of a bowl of hot and sour soup seemed like just the thing to put off the chill. I did a search for Chinese near my gps location and scrolled to the highest rated restaurant, Tempt Asian. I must have passed this restaurant a hundred times and never noticed it, located in the middle of the parking lot to HeeBeen and GrandMart, this little shop just never made an impression, but the reviews were pretty good so I gave it a shot. Being a little on the early side, I was the first one in the restaurant and had my pick of tables. Shortly after, bus loads of Chinese tourists pulled up and the entire restaurant was bustling. I absolutely loved it, wished I could've sat down at one of those busy tables, even though I didn't have a clue what they were saying. Maybe next time... :) Anyway, skimming through the reviews, I decided to try something new, so I went with the salt and pepper squid scallops and fish, spicy. It was amazing. Because I got spicy, it was sprinkled with freshly sliced jalapenos over a bed of lettuce. My mouth was burning and I loved every bite of it, I was craving it as soon as I drove away! My only complaint of the night, no alcohol license. I would've loved to have a beer with that spicy meal. Maybe they'll let me bring my own. :)
(5)Andrew S.
I like the food. Slow service, but cheap.
(5)Leon Y.
I'm Chinese and I think it's one of the most authentic Chinese restaurant in our area. I think those who don't like it probably did not order the right dishes. Their "lion head" is probably the best meat ball in any restaurants I've been to. The spicy beef and fish are so authentic that I don't dare to try it most of the time because it's so spicy that I normally leave with a soaked shirt. I love the "Sour cabbage with clear noodle", but then again, I love sour cabbage, not everyone's cup of tea. Fish fillet, you can't go wrong with it. My wife loves their "home style" dishes like chicken with string beans, etc. Most importantly, the price is reasonable, I can't recall how many times I've been back there for lunch with my Chinese coworkers.
(5)Felix Y.
I grew up in Hong Kong but also ate a lot of ethnic Chinese food besides the usual Cantonese fare, especially northern and western Chinese cuisines. Overall, I'd give this place a B grade. I first came here for dinner last night. We ordered bean curd with mushrooms, beef and scallops, and sauteed Chinese broccoli. Portions were generous and flavorful, but I wouldn't say they were made with delicate skill or sophistication. The sauces were a bit heavy-handed, and things tended to be more on the salty side (although not outrageously so). Still, the menu selections and the food they put on your table are more authentic than your typical Chinese restaurant in northern Virginia. Prices were quite reasonable too compared to other places. Vegetarian dishes were under ten bucks, and beef + scallops was around $13. Service was courteous and efficient, and we didn't have to wait too long for our food even on a Saturday night. Oh, and I also learned that the chef is from Szechuan. The disappointment came the next morning. I returned to try their "dim sums." Not your typical Cantonese / Hong Kong dim-sum, but more of the northern Chinese variety, such as Xiao Long Bao ($6 for six), steamed dumplings ($5 for six), etc. - and those were the two I ordered. I attempted to order the green onion pancakes (Chong You Bing) but the waitress warned me not to (!!), saying "it's not your typical Chong You Bing." I politely said I was willing to try something new but she pushed back! (Mind you, I was speaking to her in perfect Mandarin, so it wasn't like she thought I was a Chinese food novice). Anyways, the Xiao Long Bao and steamed dumplings came -- large dumplings, but the skins were doughy and thick, the meat inside was pretty bland, and the sauces / broth that were supposed to accompany the meat were pretty much non-existent. Very disappointing. If you are in the neighborhood, it wouldn't hurt to try it. The food is indeed authentic, portions are generous, and prices are reasonable compared to its peers, but it's certainly not something worth writing home about.
(2)Alex S.
I've been coming here off and on for several years and have yet to be disappointed. Portions are very generous - I eat like a lumberjack and always walk out with leftovers. The staff is very welcoming and friendly. I don't come here that often but they're happy to see me, like a friend just walked in. They must also think I'm underfed, since they offer to pack some more rice with the leftovers. The food seems reasonably authentic - I'm often the only Anglo there when I visit, so I figure that says something for the place. Yet my mom - who says she doesn't like most Asian food - practically demands to go here every time my folks come to visit. The menu definitely covers more ground than americanized places. Most of the soups are good, thought the soups for two on the menu are definitely more interesting. Another reason to take a friend... If you're ready to move beyond what I call "lunch-grade" Chinese (sweet-and-sour chicken, beef and broccoli, etc) and get a plateful of Sichuan cooking, this is the place to visit.
(5)Maria S.
Moved to the area recently and was looking for a good Chinese restaurant and thought I'd try Tempt Asian after reading the reviews. Loved it! Went into the restaurant to check it out before ordering takeout - the dining room is small but bright and clean. The two ladies at the front were very friendly and helpful. I ordered my usual - General Tso's shrimp, shrimp fried rice, hot and sour soup and crab rangoon. I waited about 20 minutes for my order, which was fine with me since I know that means they're cooking it to order. Everything was delicious! The price was reasonable, under $30, and portions generous. My husband and I both ate and still have leftovers. I found out they have a separate chinese menu with lots of authentic dishes including dim sum, but you have to ask for it. I'll be sure to order off of that menu next time and have it delivered.
(4)Heather D.
Tempt Asian Cafe is a decent option when you get lost in the Grand Mart parking lot on Little Rive Turnpike. They have an extensive menu that includes "american chinese" dishes as well as authentic sichuan cuisine. I'm not a huge fan of american chinese food, so I was excited to try something different. My boyfriend and I tried to copy the young Chinese couple sitting next to us as slyly as we could. I contemplated asking the waiter to "just bring us what they're having," but decided to try and guess ourselves. We started with the beef with cilantro, cold beef in a somewhat spicy marinade with cilantro leaves on top. It was definitely different, and had a delicate flavor that almost made it taste like european liverwurst. We then ordered a type of pork soup for two, which was pretty good, but a little bland. It had bamboo shoots in a clear, somewhat salty broth. On the waiter's suggestion, we finally ordered the pork with long beans, and were promised it was spicy. It had a subtle heat that was quite refreshing. I will definitely come back to work my way through more of the menu. I'm not sure if I would order anything I had again, but the restaurant almost feels like a Chinese oasis in the middle of Northern Virginia.
(3)Nara K.
I don't know what happened today, but the food that I usually order was absolutely terrible today. Bland and overcooked. Is there a different chef or something? I guess this will be my last time ordering from them, kind of sad. :( Update: I noticed a number of poor reviews on the weekend, perhaps the weekend chef is different from the weekday chef. I've always ordered on a weekday and the food was great.
(2)Cindy K.
This place has a goofy trendy name so you think it's going to be like that. It's basically one of those hole in the wall Chinese food places. Decor definitely lacking. The food is pretty good, but I think they underspiced the eggplant hotpot we got. I think maybe if you don't look Chinese you have to tell them that spicy is ok. Also, my friend and I noticed that we were given forks and not the chopstick, chinese spoon and little bowl setup that the obviously Chinese diners were given. I sense utensils discrimination here. Didn't bother to ask for chopsticks. A giant crowd of Chinese tourists from a bus got out and ate. So the food has to be good right? It can get crowded in the dining area and hard to walk around to the bathroom. The fortune cookies were stale. It's ok. I might go back, might not.
(2)Chris B.
Having traveled to China more than once I really miss the food! But wait, Tempt Asian Cafe to the rescue! The Szechuan here tastes almost as good as the Szechuan I had in Hong Kong and Beijing. Ahhhh, it burns sooo good! Despite being spicy the flavors are amazing. The Szechuan beef is really good. Keep in mind, this place is small, not much seating, also there is a Chinese menu (non English) available. Since I can't read Chinese I'm not sure if it has the same items as the English menu. Besides Szechuan you'll find the typical Chinese-American style dishes, beef and broccoli and all that jazz. Takeout is available, but there are less options on that menu. The staff is friendly and prices are average. My only complaint.... NO Szechuan Pigeon!! But they are probably illegal to eat in the USA. Update: I've gone back to this place several times since I reviewed it and I am sad to say the taste of the food has gotten worse. Now it's not much different than every other Chinese food joint serving bland food. It's not spicy anymore even when you tell them to make it that way. At first I though it was because I'm non asian so they were cooking it bland to American taste....so on another trip I brought my honest to goodness, from Main Land China, Mandarin speaking GF and here's the short and sweet of it. She ordered off the Chinese menu for both of us and asked them to make it spicy (well that's what she told me she said), while waiting for the food to arrive the waitress comes over gives me a fork and knife and her chopsticks!! WTF! That's racists!! I know how to eat with sticks people. I don't know why but that really bothered me. Whatever, on to the food. Yet again it was bland and uneventful. My GF even complained about it so they brought her some chili sauce to spice it up. I haven't been back since and that was over 5 months ago. Perhaps I'll venture on over there again in the near future. Really the food is good it just doesn't tastes like the awesome food I had in China anymore and that makes me sad. :(
(3)Camilla W.
Loved it - definitely a great experience, even if the decor was a little spartan. My husband and I stuck with ordering our old stand-by favorite American-Chinese dishes - General Tso's Chicken and Mu Shu Pork. Both were excellent. What really struck me was how fresh and high quality everything tasted. The cabbage in my Mu Shu was really crunchy, and the chicken of General Tso was definitely breast meat. (I've recently been driven away from my favorite Indian restaurant in the area because they serve gristly chicken - non bueno.) I love a restaurant that uses obviously high quality ingredients! Also ... it's hella cheap. If you want a nice dinner out that tastes delicious, and doesn't hurt the wallet, go for Tempt. Next time, I am going to branch out and try some of the more traditional Chinese dishes. The menu is quite extensive!
(5)art f.
Food only is worth 5 stars. The decor in this small restaurant is rather spartan and they don't serve wine or beer. The staff is a little less English proficient, but always friendly and welcoming. The traditional menu offers a wide selection of appetizers and main dishes rarely found in this area. Everything I've ordered has been above average, and when they flag a dish for heat they mean it (they will double check with Westerners to confirm that you like spicy food). Most recently I got a mild spinach and tofu soup and a spicy beef stew that lived up to its name. Also, fish with sour mustard greens - a dish you won't find often - was surprisingly delicate.
(4)Manasi K.
What prompted us to order from here was foot note beneath the 2006 Zagat rated logo at the back of the flyer that said "...Chef Peter Chang who used to cook for the Chinese Ambassador is drawing Sinophites from around the Beltway to this modest Alexandria eatery...." And WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED! I HIGHLY recommend the General Tso's Chicken (spicy). This is the best I've had so far. Succulent, juicy & delicious. LOVE IT! Only a gourmet chef can make it like this. Also the "Spinach w/ Bean curd soup" is absolutely delicious. This is pretty much the only Chinese place we order from (for delivery). So far, the minimum delivery is $12. A word of advice: order early. They get super busy at meal times. If you try other items & love them, please review them. I'd love to know.
(5)Maria K.
I'm surprised this place didn't get better reviews. They have good authentic dishes. My husband ordered, so I don't know the exact names of the dishes, but everything he ordered was good. We got the string beans (good), twice cooked porked (probably my favorite out of what we ordered), lo mein (ok, this I didn't try), and two fish dishes. Service was kind of typical Chinese restaurant service, but I'd come again for the food. It was super cheap though. ~$13/person and we were all stuffed.
(4)Chris S.
Just discovered this place. First two visits here. Both times this little place was practically deserted, but the other customers are always Chinese folks. Spicy wontons, Kung Pao Chicken. I suspect this restaurant may be a hidden gem for getting a spicy Szechuan fix. Will be exploring the menu in upcoming visits. As another reviewer noted: the "real" menu is more extensive than the take-out menu. Luckily my first visit was sit down so I got the big menu. When I came for takeout, I had to ask for it. I ordered scallion pancakes, and what I got was exactly Indian poori (gigantic inflated pillow of fried bread) with some scallions in it. Not at all what I was expecting (and I didn't love it). Decor is non-existant: this is a run-down take-out place with about 10 tables in front of the full wooden bar-turned-into-takeout-counter. If you're looking for a "nice place", you'll have to skip this restaurant. But if you're just interested in the food, this could be the ticket. The strip mall looks a little sketchy, with a lot of low-rent stores. But if you look closely, there is a high-end Korean place in there, too. The Grand Mart supermarket has a lot of asian ingredients and fresh fish. I believe that parking next to the restaurant is entirely safe and am not worried at all in this parking lot. Don't let the appearances throw you off.
(3)Joan Y.
I am a big fan. I like the fact that all the specials are written in Chinese characters. The front of the menu is really authentic and so much fun to try. We've been coming here for years now and still haven't been able to try everything. This summer we discovered the fish rolls - fabulous. And we can't keep from ordering Dr. Tso's Sechuan Boneless Duck. My favorite entree.
(4)Mandy L.
The restaurant was cute. The service was great! The fried rice was delicious. My Sesame chicken was ok. The menu was huge! I would definitely go back and try something else.
(4)Swingdancer P.
We came here based on a co-worker who eats here a lot. The reviews on this place has high stars but we were not impressed with the taste at all. We went in thinking it may be authentic and delicious since the patrons were mostly Chinese. The szechuan beef came without the scallops that it was supposed to so when we sent it back, they corrected it but it tasted really bad with a funny smell and taste. Unless we came in at a bad time because they were busy with a big group of Chinese men who came in. We told them about the food but they still charged us half price even though we barely ate it. The double fried pork was OK, nothing great. We've had better Chinese food from a fast food take out place! The waitress apologized that maybe the cook was in a rush cooking but it was unacceptable to be charging a customer for food that we could not eat. We just ate the pork dish because we were really hungry, paid and walked out, never to return. For good Chinese food, go to Peking Duck on Route 7 instead--the food is great everytime we go there.
(1)K T.
Tempt Asian derivery, I ruv you....... :) Bestest, spiciest food ever. I crave you... Want to eat you... Uh, oh, I better go now...
(5)James O.
This place rocks! At first the restaurant seems a little on the small side. The floors have seen better days but the interior was nice otherwise, but i'll get to the point: The Food. I ordered the General Tso chicken and I asked if they made it with white meat and the lady told me that they typically do it with dark meat but that it wouldn't be a problem to switch and they did. It was a very flavorful thicker sauce, the red pepper was hot and the chicken had that tempura like flavor to it. It was fantastic! The hot n sour soup was lighter than a lot of restaurants make it ,but the flavor was there. It wasn't too vinegar-y and again the red pepper was hot! I also tried the chicken fried rice which had a sort of smokey flavor to it which was really good that kind of reminded me of good lo mein dishes. The customer service was great and this was a good experience! The Yelp reviews were pretty spot on for this place!
(4)Me M.
Terrible, Terrible service. Ordered Delivery over an hour and a half ago. Ended up calling and was told that since the driver could not find the place the order was cancelled. What? Since when do drivers not call? Incompetent. Don't order delivery, and I will NEVER go there to eat in. We had to call the Credit card company to get the charge off of our account.
(1)A P.
I've ordered in an out at this restaurants on several occasions. For the most part it's solid but the last time I brought friends it was so so. The service for take out is kind of annoying as there is one lady with extremely broken english. It's difficult to understand her and unless I bust out the mandarin, she has no idea what I'm ordering. The last server we had didn't have a clue as to how to wait tables. We had to ask him several times for the same thing (more tea, the check). It was really bad. Since my last visit, we've decided to skip it from now on.
(2)Steph L.
I had high hopes for Tempt Asian and was slightly let down. The food was above average, which means that if I'm in the area and craving Chinese food, I'd eat there. But it's not worth driving out of the city for. Came here with some Chinese coworkers and we ordered sliced beef and beef tripe (fu qi fei pian), fish with sour mustard (suan cai yu fen si), country style pig intestines (nong jia chao fei chang), a pig feet dish but I can't remember the name, and stir-fried Chinese broccoli with garlic. None of the spicy dishes were spicy enough, especially the sliced beef and beef tripe. The fish with sour mustard had good chunks of fish in it but there was not enough sour mustard to really make the dish pungent like it should be. The country style pig intestines had good flavor, it was well spiced but the potato-to-intestine ratio was too big. There were maybe 10 good size pieces of intestines in the entire dish. The biggest disappointment of the meal was the pig feet though. The pig feet were fried, which none of us expected because pig feet are rarely if ever fried in Chinese cooking. The frying completely ruined the gelatinous texture you look for in pig feet and they then stir-fried it in so much chili and cumin powder that it overwhelmed any pork flavor that was left. The stir-fried Chinese broccoli was pretty standard but IMO they used too much stem and not enough leaves. I think Tempt Asian is a good restaurant for someone who's new to Chinese, specifically Sichuan, cuisine. It gives newbies a taste of what could be without overwhelming them with the real thing. On the plus side, the service was very prompt and friendly and the prices were very reasonable for the portions.
(3)Phil G.
We've ordered from Tempt before, and have always been happy with the food. But when our order today came with a new menu saying "Grand Opening New Management", it was obvious there was also someone new in the kitchen. The taste was off, way too much salt and black bean sauce masking all other flavors. Such a disappointment, as we now have to find a new chinese delivery place.
(2)Jeremy R.
This is the place I order Chinese delivery from? Why you might ask? Because it ALWAYS takes less time than what they tell you on the phone. It runs about the same price as other Chinese joints that aren't nearly as good. They also make my general tso's extra spicy like I want, instead of just saying that they did. And every time I order delivery there is always something free in my bag.
(3)Erin D.
Yummy food, good prices and attentive staff - what more can you ask for?
(4)Christina S.
We love this little place! We were spending a day in D.C. and this place was close to our hotel. We walked in and were greeted by the sweetest Asian lady. She took our order of mixed veggies and moo shu veggies. It didn't take very long before we received our food, and she even threw in free soup! It was love at first bite. My fiance and I both agreed that this place was just awesome. I will definitely remember this place the next time I roll through D.C. It was great service, good food, and a very reasonable price!
(5)Mark C.
The delivery is quick and the food is good. I called at 10pm and they were still delivering. There was a slight language barrier with the woman who takes the orders but it's well worth it.
(4)sarah s.
My favorite Chinese place, hands down. I'm very picky about Chinese (I'm usually scared off by questionable cuts of meat), but Tempt Asian meets my standards. Good cuts of meat, delicious flavors, and cheap, too! I like the Szechuan Chili Chicken and hubby likes the Pork with Long Peppers. Hot and Sour soup is good, too. Oh, and I love the Singapore Noodles-yum! You know it's good when a tour bus full of Chinese people pulls up. They're patient with non-Chinese speakers, too, and there's always someone there who speaks some English. Love it!
(4)Aileen C.
Came here with co-workers for lunch, we didn't get any of the "American" styled Chinese dishes. So, I can't comment on those. However, this is probably the only place in Alexandria that can come close to authentic Sichuan chinese. Most of the dishes were comparable to the Sichuan I've had in LA, I was quite impressed. Will definitely come back again for more.
(4)Saul G.
Either this is the first bad steer I received from Yelp in quite a while, or Chinese food is really bad in the DC Metro and this place seems okay by comparison. We went on a Wednesday evening at about 8 p.m. I guess I should have taken a hint from the fact that only one other table was occupied. I have to say the hot and sour soup was acceptable, spicy if a little light on pork. Wont ton soup also was decent,. Spicy dumplings in chili oil was abysmal, soggy wontons in broth to which some chili oil floated on top. The kung pao chicken was bland and the carrots and celery were not a satisfactory replacement for red peppers that belong in this dish. Sesame beef was cloyingly sweet, but admittedly a generous portion of reasonably tender beef. Salt and pepper shrimp was the coup de grace. Mediocre shrimp. coated in a corn dog batter with a coating of black pepper. The loud banging from the bowels of the restaurant completed the deal.
(2)M H.
Hadn't been in a while, but it's as good as ever. No frills atmosphere, great food. Service was amazing. Nice vegetarian selections.
(4)Yoon Hwan J.
This is one of the best authentic Chinese restaurants I have ever eaten at. Having lived in Chicago and SoCal I've had my share of fancy Chinese restaurants as well as the great hole in the wall joints, but none compare. You have to try the Szechuan Chili Chicken, and make sure to tell them you want the Chinese version. Its a lot spicier then the "American" style but you got to live a little sometimes. You can't go wrong with any dish at this place actually. The place is modest and clean. It gets really busy during weekend lunch and evening hours. I've seen buses dropping off groups in there so look out.
(5)Corey H.
The real reason to try Tempt asian is the fantastic sauce that comes with most dishes. The Happy Family dish came with tasty shrimp with a perfect sauce to match. The service was very friendly with many offers to pour tea. The restaurant was full at 1115 but luckily my party of two was able to be seated at the last open table. I was the only non Asian in the restaurant that afternoon!
(5)